Cazwilkins

Oh wow. So we will likely have to hang fire for a honeymoon as no way will we be given 4 weeks off work! Thanks

It was 3 months from expression of interest to getting our visa grant but I went for 489 skilled occupation and had 75 points.

So my fiancée and I (yes he popped the question at our leaving do back in April) are due to land in Australia next month to start a new chapter of our lives. We are under strict instructions to wed back in the uk, which is fine by us as that is where all of our friends and family are. We are both British nationals. However, I hear along the grapevine it is a ball ache to give notice to get married back home? I seem to be finding mixed opinions and advice and am really confused about the process. We only want a ceremony in a registry office, not a church or anything as not religious. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

So it's getting close to my partner and I leaving the UK for 8months worth of travelling before we land in Australia by the end of the year. We have had quotes from various removal companies but my other half is adamant that for what we are taking (clothes shoes and books) that we should do it all ourselves. Is this advised? What problems may we have? What customs forms do we need to sign before sending our personal possessions over? A friend of mine lives in Newcastle and has said we are welcome to send the belongings from the UK to her house. Can we simply use DHL, for example, for this?

Brilliant thank you

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone can give advice. Less than 6 weeks to go until my partner and I carry out some backpacking around the world, leaving the UK for good and making our way over to Australia. I can only assume that some of you have also done this when you emigrated and so was wondering who did you take insurance with? A backpackers insurance company? Your bank? Post office? Any help would be greatly appreciated :-)

Yes, you have to enter Australia within 12months of your police check or medical (whichever came first). You then have to move out there within 5 years. This is what I believe to be true but please correct me if I am wrong. You definitely have to touch down in aus though within that time frame. Should say on your visa grant the latest date you can enter to activate it. Ours is 5th December 2016

I am a Dentist. Will take advice though and drop my CV to all the practices in the area and see what comes of it :-)

There are a lot of dental assistant jobs being advertised. Are you already over there in aus? The only thing is if you land a job that you love, your employer falls in love with your hardworking nature and they sponsor you but then I guess it may work out cheaper to take on an apprentice than to sponsor someone. I'm not entirely sure how it works. But I do see a lot of dental nurse jobs going. I got my visa 6 weeks ago and I've just looked for dentist jobs and there are hardly any in the state I've been sponsored for. Starting to panic about the whole situation!

There are too many dentists over there so they have been taken off the list. So I have no idea about dental nurses I'm afraid.

Just dug them out.... we both have 'no trace' hahaha

Well that's pissed me off because I have never had any trouble with police EVER. 1 speeding fine, that is it.

Mine said no live trace which meant that I have no criminal record. Same with my partner. We got our visa no problem and didn't have to fill out any further forms?

Has to be the emigration group for me. One to one personal service and there with you every step of the way. They could not have been anymore helpful. The owner rang me the day I got granted a visa to personally congratulate me and hand over details of an agent on the other side for future visa queries ie applying for permanent residency etc.

Going to montenegro for a festival. And we aren't spending thousands on the Maldives. £70 flight from Sri Lanka and $100 for 4 nights accommodation in a tiny room. Can't believe people pay thousands when you can get it so cheap! I guess it's because they're paying for the fancy huts out in the sea!

Fab thank you. I just wasn't sure because Aus is so strict, esp with diseases, whether we would have to state where we had been. But I should have just read my visa info In the first place because it seems they're only bothered about if you spend time in one of the 9 countries where there has been a polio outbreak. Thanks for the advice with regards to fruit Thanks everyone. I'm a little anxious about the fact we are backpacking, esp because I like my home comforts but I'm sure it'll be fun. Starting with the camino de Santiago walk! Wish me luck haha

Anything we need to be wary about if we plan 7 months travelling before we land in Aus? We will have all relevant vaccinations before heading off backpacking but of course just want to make sure we don't jeopardise our visa by spending certain lengths of time in certain places. Places of travel France Spain Germany Amsterdam Norway Serbia Montenegro Croatia Amsterdam Sri Lanka Maldives Thailand Laos Cambodia Vietnam New Zealand And if course australia. Most time will be spent in southeast Asia Do we have to declare these plans to the board of immigration for example

What about if I apply now and am only due to land in Aus in December? My visa has been granted but leaving the UK in may and travelling for 7 months. Will I just have to make sure I go to the Ahpra office before Jan 2017 to get a PIN?

Congratulations. I was granted mine today too

Yea all in all we are at about £7.5 / £8k and just awaiting the email to say we have a visa :-)

We have used the emigration group and I cannot praise them enough. Always on the end of the line and reply promptly to emails. I started my application with them in may and am now waiting for the visa to be granted. I am not sure about the finding a job before I go part as we are planning on travelling for 6months and applying for jobs ourselves once we are in the same time zone.

My accountant has already cleared up with me that I will have money owed back once my accounts are settled :-)

Unless you are self employed, in which case the tax you pay also includes extra to cover projections on what you will make in the following tax year. Ie my example, in January I will be paying what I owe for last year's tax year plus half of what I owe to cover next year's tax year. So I will get a rebate. May only be a little but every little helps. If you are employed then no you won't get anything back x

Sounds like I'll have a wait too then as I only lodged my visa last week. I'm getting on with police checks and medicals just so they are done and dusted. Here's to waiting...

Hi I only lodged my visa on Monday so difficult for me to say but my agent also advised within 3 months usually. RSMS visas are highest priority as far as my agent has informed me. Might be worth chasing up somehow? Has your money been taken for the visa? Ours has!